Luxerois Federation
The Luxerois Federation is considered by many to be the pride of the Imbringen Islands and is one of the largest territories within the islands controlled by a single government body. Originally established by settlers who found the bountiful bay that the city of Bioncourt is now built on, after the first colonization it quickly grew into a kingdom which, over time, became a center for commerce, art, culture, and religion. At first little more than a human settlement, the lure of new lands and opportunities soon attracted the attention of other races, from the reclusive elves to the stout dwarves, and the inventive gnomes. All races were soon immigrating to the island nation and over the centuries they added their own culture and customs to the island while simultaneously adopting those of the humans who already lived there. Over time the Kingdom of Luxerois grew, expanding through war and peace with its neighboring settlements, many of which had formed around it in an attempt to gain some of the resources that the bountiful land had. Ultimately what started as a small kingdom became a much larger empire and it remained prosperous and powerful until the events of the Third War. The Third War was the turning point which saw the established Luxerois Empire turned on its head. Political upheavals shattered the Empire and caused mass revolts, which resulted in the abdication of the imperial royal line and the dissolution of the Luxerois Empire. What rose from the corpse of the Empire was the Luxerois Federation, a political body which emphasized the values of freedom, equality, and democracy. As it was with the Luxerois Empire, the beating heart of the Federation is the Grand-City of Bioncourt. One of many coastal metropolises within the Imbringen Islands, the positioning of the city gives the navy of the Federation the ability to control crucial trade routes that connect the other island nations of Imbringen together. Due to this central position, there are many, including the nation of Inferex which have attempted to lay claim to Bioncourt over the years, either through war, diplomacy or subversion, but to this date, no foreign power has ever breached the city walls or managed to send hostile ships into its harbor. =History= ---- According to popular mythology that is taught within the churches and plazas of the faithful of Bioncourt, it was not the act of a group of settlers alone that found the region that would eventually grow into the Luxerois Federation, but rather, it was the will of Loreus, God of Cities and Law, that directed the founders of the settlement to establish the foundations of what would eventually become the Grand-City of Bioncourt. As soon as the initial settlement was founded word began to spread of the vast wooded forests and arable plains that could be found in the region and the promise of unclaimed land rich with resources inspired many to travel to this new colony including merchants, farmers, soldiers, nobles, and peasants. As the population grew and more and more settlers began to build homes and businesses in the area, the cultures of these people, many of them unique began to mix until they formed an identity of their own, becoming known as the Luxalians. As the centuries moved on, the colony expanded, taking up more land, and forging new industries to meet the needs of the people. With such expansion, however, came a great level of disorganization. With no direct government body, the colony soon became unmanageable and it was clear that without a change, the colony would soon collapse on itself. Enter the Tressarians, a noble family that has some status and power in the budding settlement. Seeing the potential to claim even more power, prestige, and authority, the Tressarians used their influence over the merchants and the industries to place themselves in a position of leadership, with the leader of House Tressarian, Dumah Tressarian, becoming the first King of Luxerois. With new leadership, the Kingdom of Luxerois continued to expand and did so on a mostly united front, although there were agitators who remained that preferred the chaos and instability that they had over the newly founded order and purpose. As the years rolled by vast swathes of forest were cleared, new settlements were constructed, including the port settlement of Montviron, which became home to many naval shipyards which constructed the vast, and powerful Luxerois Navy. With command over the seas, the Kingdom of Luxerois expanded even further, waging war when necessary with neighboring settlements and assimilating others. Eventually as more land and more people began to recognize the Kingdom of Luxerois as their new rulers, the quickly expanding Kingdom of Luxerois became an empire, with the Tressarians forming the first Imperial Tressarian Dynasty. The Imperial Tressarian Dynasty ruled the Empire from generation to generation, and the Luxerois Empire continued to expand until it was the most powerful force in the Imbringen Islands, but even the powerful Luxerois Empire was unprepared for the events of the Third War. Though far removed from the affairs of the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, the Burning Legion and the Scourge still invaded the island nations and waged a brutal campaign of conquest and destruction. The Kingdom of Imbringen was razed completely and the Kingdom of Inferex, seeing what happened to its neighbor chose to pledge themselves to the invading armies rather than risk fighting and losing, although by this point Inferex was already a debased nation, practicing ritual sacrifice, slavery, and tyranny, so the transition to serving the invading armies was not a difficult one. This development caused no end of chaos within the Empire, for the current emperor, Frederic Tressarian had extremely close ties to the royalty of the Kingdom of Inferex. For many years, rather than taking a hard line stance against the corruptive practices of Inferex, the Emperor had instead chosen to become closer to the Inferex royal line, even going so far as to marry into the diabolical family and adopted some of their customs such as the act of keeping slaves. With the nation of Inferex now pledged to the Legion and the Scourge the people of the Empire feared, and rightly so, that the Burning Legion's influence would soon spread to their lands, corrupting it as it had done to Inferex. It did not take long for the fears of the people to become realized. A year after Inferex bowed to the Legion and the Scourge, Emperor Frederic declared through empirical proclamation that they, as a nation, would become even closer to their diabolical neighbors and adopt some of their more strict and horrific customs. This enraged the religious orders of the Empire, as well as the middle-class and lower ranking nobles, all men and women who refused to bow before demonic and undead lords as their neighbors had done. At first, they demanded that the Emperor break all ties with Inferex and become a paragon of freedom and justice, but their demands fell on deaf ears and the Emperor, believing himself untouchable pushed forward with his plans to join with Inferex. This was met with further resistance and eventually outright revolt. Spread by influential citizens who inspired the people to rise up, soon more progressive members of the Empire began to join the revolt, which became known as the Bloodless Revolt on account of the fact that there were no deaths or serious wounds throughout the entire affair. Eventually, Bioncourt and Montviron were thrown fully into the chaos as the economies of both cities, and that of the entire Empire ground to a halt. The Bloodless Revolt ended after six months. Merchants, tradesman, peasants and lower ranking nobles, seeing an opportunity to take control, swarmed the estates of the entrenched noble houses, along with the royal palace, aided by members of the royal guard who had been persuaded to join the revolt themselves. Rather than immediately throw the nobles into jail or onto the executioners' block, the leaders of the revolt instead demanded that the nobles who supported the imperial family either renounce their titles and claims to leadership or face exile or execution. This choice ensured that the transition of power was a bloodless one. Seeing the sheer number of people rising up against him, including many of his own royal guard Emperor Frederic abdicated the throne, surrendering his title and his families claims before fleeing across the sea to the kingdom of Inferex. Many of the other nobles followed suit, at least to the point where they renounced their titles and lands, although a few also chose to sail across the oceans with the disgraced emperor and his family. Following the abdication and a period of instability as a new government formed from the ashes of the old one, the people of Luxerois eventually announced to the other nations within Imbringen that they would become a bastion of freedom and equality. Forging themselves into a democratic republic, they became known as the Luxerois Federation. =Government= ---- The Luxerois Federation is, for the most part, controlled by the Liberator's Conclave, a governing body which consists of 200 representatives which are in turn split into two branches of legislative government. The Conclave itself, led by the Liberator's Herald, which consists of 150 members and the Liberator's Assembly, led by the Supreme-Elect, which consists of 50 members. All members of the government, regardless of which branch they find themselves appointed to, are all elected to their positions by the people of the Federation through democratic elections and each member serves for a maximum of two terms of government, with each term lasting 10 years. This, in a way, provides some measure of stability to the Federation as it ensures that those elected hold office for a considerable time period, giving them enough time to fulfill promises made during their election campaigns, something that is less likely to be accomplished with shorter term periods, while also giving the people adequate time to adjust to any changes, rather than have them forced through extremely quickly. In terms of responsibilities, the Liberator's Conclave and the Liberator's Assembly are responsible for the day to day running of the Federation's government. They are crucial when it comes to appointing federation magistrates, many of whom are also priests of various churches dedicated to law and justice. They are also primarily responsible for debating and interpreting the law provided that said interpretations do not conflict with the tenants of the Luxerois Constitution, which is known as the Liberator's Mandate. In terms of hierarchy, the law takes precedence, meaning that any magistrate's word takes precedence over the words of any member of the Conclave or the Assembly which is necessary to ensure that there is no ability for a Conclave or Assembly member to flaunt the laws of the Federation. The current leaders of the Conclave and Assembly are known as the Liberator's Herald and the Supreme-Elect. Both roles are filled by a single individual who is chosen by the elected government members and they are responsible for maintaining order within government meetings and are also responsible for meeting with other branches of the government during internal discussions. * Liberator's Herald: Markus Caupenne - Former merchant and one of the key founders of the Bloodless Revolt, Markus became a politician after the formation of the Federation. He is currently serving his second term as a member of the Liberator's Conclave. * Supreme-Elect: Marceau LePortain - A professor of political studies at the Bioncourt University, her impassioned speeches helped kickstart the Bloodless Rebellion and after the establishment of the Federation she temporarily left her teaching role at the University to ensure that the Federation was established and led properly. She is currently serving her second term as a member of the Liberator's Assembly. As the Conclave and Assembly representatives are chosen by the people, their primary duties outside of interpreting the law and seeing to the appointment of government positions are to bring forth the concerns of their constituents. These actions generally take place during smaller meetings of the Conclave, and rarely involve the members of the Assembly, and these smaller meetings take place multiple times throughout the duration of the term. Larger meetings involving all members of the Conclave and Assembly take place twice a year unless an emergency warrants additional meetings, and while smaller meetings can easily last a day or two, larger meetings have been known to go on for weeks and sometimes even months, especially during times of war. It is perhaps during wartime when the government changes considerably from what it appears to the populace during normal times. When war is declared the Supreme-Elect is given emergency powers and a new council, known as the Luxal Assembly is called up. The Luxal Assembly a group of industry leaders and military generals, 30 individuals in all who advise the Supreme-Elect on how to oversee critical matters of the Federation during wartime such as foreign affairs, trade, commerce, internal justice, the status of the treasury, military strength and tactics. During such times emergency actions, such as martial law, can be enforced, however, once the threat abates and wartime ends, the Liberator's Mandate demands that the Supreme-Elect surrender emergency powers and return the government to how it operates normally. In the event that the Supreme-Elect does not surrender control willingly, the Liberator's Mandate has measures in place to ensure that the transition of power happens anyway, although ever since the time of the Federation's creation, those measures have never been used. =Regions within the Federation= ---- Bioncourt The Grand-City of Bioncourt is the largest city within the Federation and is a progressive haven where trade, religion, research, the arts, and technological developments are allowed to thrive openly. Attracting people from all walks of life, people from all over the world, including the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor immigrate to Bioncourt and the rest of the Federation as they seek to improve their lives, gain knowledge or escape the drudgery that exists in their homelands. It has a very large population, with over 300,000 people calling the city and the settlements outside its walls, home, although there are many who choose to live in villages and townships that are at least a days travel from the city, possible two or more depending on weather conditions and travel speed. Given the size of the Grand-City, the capital is divided into multiple districts each providing their own services and residential regions. These districts include Falcon Point, Sea's Berth, Gemtown, Freedom Square, Northridge Heights, and the Murkwallow districts with some having a better reputation than others. As the capital of the Luxerois Federation, the city is governed primarily by the Luxarian Federal Government, as the Supreme-Elect of the Liberator's Assembly also serves as the Lord-Mayor of the city. It also serves as the home of the Knights of the Falcon, the primary military force of the Federation. Falcon Point The Falcon Point district is the largest commercial and residential district in the city and houses the majority of Bioncourt's citizens. Sitting snugly between the Sea's Berth and Freedom Square districts, it is considered to be the heart of the city and its prominence and popularity is shown as one traverses the district with many of the homes and businesses being made from white stone and rich timbers implying that the residents and businesses within have a certain amount of wealth at their disposal. As one travels through Falcon Point, they may come across, or see from a distance, the following points of interest: : The Grand Library: The Grand Library of Bioncourt resides within the Falcon Point district, and is considered to be the largest bastion of knowledge within the federation and perhaps even the known world. Entrance into the Grand Library is free and anyone who wishes to borrow from the library may do so once they have registered on the books, a means to ensure that what is borrowed is eventually returned. As the bastion of knowledge that it is, the Grand Library is also considered to be home to a more exclusive community of researchers, artists, and academics. These men and women can be found all over the library, although they meet on the first day of every month within the library to discuss their findings and theories with topics that are brought up during these meetings cover every avenue of study from Alchemy to Zoology. For those who wish to gain membership to the academic group within the library, it is not as difficult as it may appear to be. Once an individual is sponsored by another member of the group, they are required to provide a form of knowledge to the Library, whether that be a scientific theory, piece of literature or a book which isn't located on the shelves. : The Falcons Nest: A large, white marble bastion that sits at one of the ends of the Walkway of Sacrifice, and adorned at its pinnacle with a golden statue of a Falcon, the Falcons Nest serves as the headquarters for the Knights of the Falcon and houses several thousand of the Order's most skilled soldiers at any one time including its command structure. As commander of the Knights of the Falcon, General Iclasias also holds command over the Falcons Nest and maintains the title of 'Lord of the White Tower' as a result. : The Plaza of Faith: The Plaza of Faith is located within the Falcon Point district and is the place where one can find temples and cathedrals dedicated to each of the nine gods and goddesses that are revered by the Federation. Each of these cathedrals is a grand monument in its own right, embellished with precious metals and gems. Windows made from the finest stained glass show the gods and goddesses of the Federation performing miracles and priests and priestesses can be found walking the corridors and the Plaza itself preaching the virtues of their chosen deity. Despite the significant number of gods and goddesses, there is no competition between the priests to gather worshipers, as all gods and goddesses are revered equally among the Luxerois people. In recent years, however, three small followings have cropped up within the Plaza, each with a small temple that preaches their own religions that are different from those of the Federation. These religions were brought to the city by faithful traders and traveling missionaries and include the Holy Light, as revered by the people of the Eastern Kingdoms, the Titans, a religion which is followed by some Dwarves from the land of Khaz Modan and Elune, a goddess which is revered by the Night Elves of Kalimdor. : The Gateway of Faith: A large door made from the rarest ebony wood and embellished with gold trim, the Gateway of Faith acts as both an entrance to the Plaza of the Faithful as well as a means of defense, to keep the unwelcome out of the plaza should the city ever fall to an enemy. During the Bloodless Revolt, many nobles took refuge in the Plaza and the Gateway of Faith was closed, although it was eventually reopened after the revolt came to an end. Since that time, the gate has never been closed again, something that the citizens of Bioncourt remain somewhat proud of. Freedom Square District The Freedom Square District is one of the most famous districts of the city and is home to the bulk of the civic buildings needed to keep the city running. It is also home to several of the city's landmarks and renowned restaurants and theaters. : Key to the City: The Key to the City is a landmark that sits within the center of the Freedom Square District. Rumored to have been placed during the founding of the city, it is a large golden key, the symbol of Loreus, the God of Cities. It constantly shines and remains free of impurities despite the fact that no one has ever seen anyone maintain it, and touching the key is considered to bring luck to the individual. : Citadel of the Supreme-Elect: Within the Freedom Square District is a large, walled-off citadel which is guarded by an elite corps within the Knights of the Falcon known as the Adamantite Talons. This citadel is the office and home of the Supreme-Elect and Lord-Mayor of Bioncourt. The district is also home to the offices of the consuls, ministers and elected city officials, and home to the Luxal Assembly. : The Walkway of Sacrifice: Stretching the entire length of the Freedom Square District, this straight white marble walkway is situated between the Tower of the Falcon and the Citadel of the Supreme-Elect and is lined with well-maintained gardens, hedges, and statues. Numerous plaques can be found along the path, each one dedicated to soldiers that have fallen over the years, with most, but not all, dating back to before the Bloodless Revolt. One of the busiest areas of the city, the Walkway of Sacrifice always has visitors, even at the darkest hours of the evening, as the free people of Luxerois honor those that sacrificed for the greater good. : Palace of Governance: A large structure situated half way along the Walkway of Sacrifice, the Palace of Governance is the home of the Liberator's Conclave and consists of two, very large floors. The entire ground floor of the Palace is an amphitheater with 400 seats, one for each member of the Liberator's Conclave, and serves as the meeting place for the council meetings, while the floor above is one that is sub-divided into 400 rooms, with each one acting as a private office for each council member. 'Northridge Heights District' The Northridge Heights District is the largest district within the Grand-City of Bioncourt, covering almost the entirety of the northern end of the city. Due to its size and the varying types of businesses that are located within it, the Northridge Heights District is subdivided into much smaller and more focused districts. : Bioncourt University: Located to the north of the Walkway of Sacrifice stands the campus of the Bioncourt University. It is open to any citizen who wishes to study, with tuition fees paid for in full by the Federation, however, due to the limited size of the campus, not all applicants are accepted. Those who are not accepted are not without luck, however, as their names are placed into a lottery which is drawn from at the start of each enrollment period to fill a number of dedicated 'lottery seats' which cannot be filled by any other means. Within the University, the main fields of study include law and politics, modern philosophy, history, religion, commerce, and zoology. The current Provost of the University is Felarial Dawnbreeze, an elf who has held the position for over 200 years. : Accord District: The Accord District is a walled off area, located in the northwest region of the city. Once a gated community of rich aristocratic nobles, after the Bloodless Revolt the area was repurposed as a diplomatic center. Embassies from multiple nations, both local and more distant are located within its walls and foreign diplomats can always be found in the gardens of the district or walking the paved streets. Within the boundaries of the Accord District, the laws of the Federation do not apply, with the exception of slavery, which is expressly forbidden even among foreign emissaries. The district has a small military compliment provided by the Federation, captained by Michael Fuller, and this military compliment responds to any emergencies within the district but does not maintain security for the embassies themselves. : Theater District: When one looks at a map of the city and sees the words 'Theater District' one usually thinks of extravagant plazas filled with playhouses and theaters, with entertainment as far as the eye can see. Sadly, this is not the case for the Theater District within Bioncourt, as its location between the rivers and proximity to Gemtown make it difficult for well-respected citizens of the city to visit. As a result, the district has fallen into a more dilapidated state and has become a haven for criminal enterprise and prostitution. Mostly safe during daylight hours, due to limited guard presence, the district is mostly abandoned at night due to the inherent dangers of the area. : Gemtown: When the Luxerois Empire fell and became the Luxerois Federation, there was a large amount of instability, especially within the first few years, and most of this instability was caused by the merchants of the Miners Guild, who were demanding a fast return to trade so that they could continue to make a profit. Unable to turn the Miners Guild away, the newly formed Liberator's Conclave gave a large portion of the Northridge Heights District to the Miners Guild, which they began to call 'Gemtown'. While still part of Bioncourt and in turn, part of the Federation, the region of Gemtown is not patrolled by Federation soldiers, and law and order are maintained by the heavy handed fist of Sneez Goldfinger, a goblin who supposedly has ties to various Cartels outside of the Federation. 'Sea's Berth District' Sea's Berth District is one of the smallest districts within the city of Bioncourt, but also one of the busiest as it is the home of the cities traders and merchants. Largely controlled by the Ministers of the Supreme-Elect, the main imports of the district are Salt and Grain, while the city exports Timber, Metal (both refined and raw), wine, cheese, and fish (both salted and fresh). : Grand Exchange: The Grand Exchange is Bioncourt's largest money exchange and stands tall and highly visible among the many merchant’s shops, market stalls and warehouses of Sea's Berth. Within its walls, one can find every currency used in almost every nation on Azeroth, including some that are increasingly rare. Additionally agents of these nations, also reside within the Grand Exchange and offer information, trade alliances, and contracts with interested parties to explore the far reaches of the world. : Federation's Hope: Federations Hope is a lighthouse which was built on a small rocky island in the mouth of the harbor and helps guide ships into the Sea's Berth district during the night with its magical, everburning lamp. At the base of the Lighthouse is a broken statue, although the nearby plaque, which has been scratched heavily, identifies the ruins as a statue of Emperor Frederic that was likely destroyed during the Bloodless Revolt. Murkwallow District The Murkwallow District, despite its name, is the poorest district in the city and contains some of the least glamorous jobs within the entirety of Bioncourt. : Murkwallow’s Canal: This shallow canal splits the Murkwallow District completely from north to south. Originally designed to serve as a method of transport for merchant's vessels, it has slowly become a flowing cesspool of chemical and biological waste from smaller subdistricts that reside within the Murkwallow District. Nowadays the canal is treated as a public embarrassment and is often used as an 'election promise' by politicking councilors who are pushing for reelection, but despite the promises, the problems with the canal have yet to be solved. : Forgetown: In the southwestern section of the district, there exists a large collection of stone dwellings which form the small dwarven community known as Forgetown. Filled with dwarves who have immigrated from the Kingdom of Dalen or the other dwarven kingdoms in the Eastern Kingdoms, the population is slowly growing, although not nearly as fast as other districts. The dwarves who live in this region earn their wages through their exceptional craftsman skills where they work as masons, gem cutters, blacksmiths, and silversmiths. At present, fewer than three hundred dwarves live in the Forgelands, but those that do live in the region do so under the guidance of their leader, Khardros Twelvehammers. : The Iron Gates: The west wall of Bioncourt is home to the Iron Gates, a pair of tremendous reinforced iron gates that opens the city to the trade roads which connect Bioncourt to the rest of the Federation. Unlike other areas of the city, which have paved roads that are well maintained, the roads around the Iron Gates are simply made from packed down dirt and loose stone, hard enough to permit the passage of draft animals and wagons. This changes considerably when it rains, however, for the excess water has little areas to run off into, and swiftly transform the roads around the gate into an impassable morass which has claimed wagon wheels and the occasional shoe of an unlucky drunkard. : Butcher Lane: Butcher Lane, despite the name, is not a single road but rather a maze of narrow, twisting lanes which weave between the tall, rundown buildings that form up the center of Bioncourts meat industry. Heavily trafficked by traders and merchants a standard day in Butcher Lane sees multiple covered mule carts loaded with livestock carcasses head to numerous butcher shops and tanneries that have been built in the district. With the carcases as bloody as they are, the constant passage of these wagons often leaves the cobbles of Butcher Lane slippery with gore and the occasional, stray intestine, which leaves a horrid smell which permeates the entire district when combined with the smell of grit and acrid smoke of boiling lye and alkaline dust, created from the ever growing tanning industry. Other buildings within the district serve as private offices or specialize in the transfer of livestock, live or dead. Tressarian Plains The region known as the Tressarian Plains was named so by the first King of Luxerois, Dumah Tressarion and despite the change of government which cast off the shackles of the empire, the name of the area has not been changed, nor is it likely to be, at least in the short term. Covering a wide expanse of land along the coastline near Bioncourt, it is a region that is known for its large lumber reserves, with timber harvested from the region's many forests, and ships produced from the Montviron shipyards. Additionally, the Tressarian Plains offers a vast array of crops for export, including wheat, barley, and hops, as well as rope, sailcloth and durable dyed textiles which are produced by skilled craftsmen who live in the inland portions of the region, while skilled fishermen and trappers ensure that the people never go hungry by bringing in fresh seafood and hunted game. The people of the Tressarian Plains are a hardy bunch, who are not afraid of performing a good, honest day's work. But such hardiness also comes with a stubborn streak, and with the exception of those who live in the port city of Montviron, the majority of the citizenry within the plains have shown resistance to the newly formed Federation. Rumors tell that the reason this stubborn streak has remained for so long is due to the influence of the exiled noble houses who fled Bioncourt during the Bloodless Revolt, and these rumors are sadly given relevance by the existence of a rebel group known only as the Order of the Noble Heart, who's sole mission is to restore exiled nobility to their rightful place as the leaders of the Luxerois Empire. 'Montviron' 'Other Settlements' 'Places of Interest' Category:Islands Category:Luxerois Federation Category:Imbringen Islands Category:Imbringen Island Locations Category:Places